is known of Whitefield’s work, except that, on leaving Exeter, he
passed through Wales, and that, “in about three weeks,” he “rode
above five hundred miles, and generally preached twice a day, and that
his congregations were as large as usual.”[298] At Dublin, he became
the guest of Mr. Lunell, the banker. The following extracts from his
letters will furnish an idea of his work in Ireland:――
“DUBLIN, _June 1, 1751_.
“After being about five days on the water, I arrived here on the
24th ult. I have now preached fourteen times. Congregations are
large, and hear as for eternity. Last Lord’s-day, upwards of ten
thousand attended. It much resembled a Moorfields auditory. I
lodge at a banker’s, a follower of Christ.”
On Monday, June 4th, Whitefield set out for Athlone, and thence
proceeded to Limerick and Cork. To Lady Huntingdon he wrote as
follows:――
“Athlone, June 10. As the weather grows warmer, my body grows
weaker, and my vomitings follow me continually. For this week
past, I have been preaching twice almost every day in country
towns; and yesterday, I sounded the gospel-trumpet here.
Everywhere there seems to be a stirring among the dry bones.
Through the many offences that have been lately given, matters
were brought to a low ebb; but the cry now is, ‘Methodism is
revived again.’”[299]
A week later he says:――
“Limerick, June 14. At Athlone, I preached four times, and last
night was gladly received here at Limerick. Everywhere, our
Lord has vouchsafed us His blessed presence. This supports me
under the heat of the weather, the weakness of my body, and the
various trials which exercise my mind.”
In other letters to Lady Huntingdon, he wrote:――
“Cork, June 19. Since my last from Athlone, I have been at
Limerick, where I preached seven times to large and affected
auditories. Yesterday, I came to Cork, the seat of the late
persecution. I have preached twice, to a great body of people,
with all quietness. Both the mayor and sheriff have forbidden
all mobbing. Now have the people of God rest. Next week, I shall
return to Dublin.
“Dublin, June 28. My last, from Cork, informed your ladyship of
my having preached twice in that city. From thence, I went to
Bandon and Kinsale, where a like blessing attended the word. At
my return to Cork, I preached five or six times more, and, every
time, the power of the word and the number of hearers increased.
On Sunday evening, there might be more than three thousand
people present. Hundreds prayed for me when I took my leave;
and many of the papists said, if I would stay, they would leave
their priests. After preaching twice in the way, I came here on
Wednesday evening, where I have again published the everlasting
gospel. Next Monday, I set out for Belfast.
“Belfast, July 7, Sunday. On Wednesday evening, I came hither,
and intended immediately to embark for Scotland, but the people
prevailed on me to stay. In about an hour’s time, thousands
were gathered to hear the word. I preached morning and evening;
and, since then, have preached at Lisburn, Lurgan, the Maize,
and Lambeg, towns and places adjacent. So many attend, and the
prospect of doing good is so promising, that I am grieved I did
not come to the north sooner. The country round about is like
Yorkshire in England, and quite different from the most southern
parts of Ireland. I am now waiting for a passage to Scotland.
From thence your ladyship shall hear from me again.”
This was enormous labour for a man in feeble health; but Whitefield
loved his work, and that helped to make hard things easy.
It is only fair to add, that, except at Belfast and the adjacent towns,
Whitefield was treading in the steps of his old friend Wesley. At
Dublin, Wesley had had a Society since 1747. He had preached at Athlone
with great success as early as 1748. He had a Society in Limerick in
1749. Methodism in Cork has been already noticed. At Bandon, Wesley
speaks of having had “by far the largest congregations he had seen in
Ireland.” And, at Kinsale, he had preached in the Exchange, “to a few
gentry, many poor people, and abundance of soldiers.”[300]
The following hitherto unpublished letter,[301] by Whitefield’s wife,
belongs to this period. It was addressed to the Countess of Huntingdon.
“LONDON, _July 13, 1751_.
“HONOURED MADAM,――I am almost ashamed to write to your ladyship
now; but have not been able to write sooner. I have been so ill
since I came home, that Dr. Lobb and Dr. Nisbett have attended
me, more or less, ever since. I was in bed when I received
your ladyship’s letter, and was not able to read it. I had a
pleuritic fever, and was so low that the doctor durst not bleed
me. I am glad to hear, by Mr. Smith, that your ladyship is so
well. God be praised! O may the good Lord give your ladyship
a prosperous soul in a healthy body, to His own glory, and the
good of very many poor souls!
“Your ladyship has heard of God’s goodness to my dear honoured
master in Ireland. A gentleman writes me thus: ‘Dear Mr.
Whitefield has left Dublin very sorrowful. His going away is
lamented by many of all denominations,’ etc., etc. My master
left Dublin on the 2nd inst.; but I have not heard from him
since the 22nd of June. Here are letters from Georgia, bringing
good and bad news; the good, they are all well; the bad, they
run him behind very much. But all is well. The Lord has been and
is exceedingly good to us at the poor Tabernacle, and lets it
often be filled with His glory. O, dear madam, what am I, and
what my father’s house, that I am so highly favoured to be
called a child of God! Oh, to be a _child!_ Dear, dear madam, I
am almost lost in thought. What! to have the great Jehovah, the
God of heaven and earth, to be my Father; to make my bed in my
sickness; to be afflicted in all my affliction; to support me in
and under all my trials and temptations, and to make His abode
with me! Thinking of this has sometimes been too much for my
weak nature to bear. Oh for the time when we shall be dissolved,
and be for ever with the Lord!
“I hope your ladyship will excuse the length of this; but I
could not help it. I have not been able to write to or see the
Countess Delitz, or any friend; but hope to get strength. I
beg a share in your ladyship’s prayers; and hope this will find
your ladyship, Lady Betty, and Lady Selina in health of body and
soul, rejoicing in the Lord. This is and shall be the prayer of,
honoured madam, your ladyship’s most obliged and dutiful servant,
in our dear Lord Jesus,
“E. WHITEFIELD.”
A beautiful letter, and worthy of the woman who had the honour to be
the wife of Whitefield. Her husband arrived at Glasgow on Wednesday,
July 10th;[302] and, two days afterwards, wrote as follows, to the
Countess of Huntingdon:――
“GLASGOW, _July 12, 1751_.
“EVER-HONOURED MADAM,――My last was from Belfast, where I
preached twice on yesterday sevennight, and immediately after
took shipping, and arrived the next evening at Irvine. At the
desire of the magistrates, I preached to a great congregation.
Since then, I have been preaching twice a day in this city.
Thousands attend every morning and evening. Though I preached
near eighty times in Ireland, and God was pleased to bless His
word, yet Scotland seems to be a new world to me. To see the
people bring so many Bibles, and turn to every passage, when
I am expounding, is very encouraging. My body is kept pretty
healthy, and my voice greatly strengthened.”
Having reached Edinburgh on Thursday, July 18th, he wrote again to Lady
Huntingdon:――
“EDINBURGH, _July 30, 1751_.
“EVER-HONOURED MADAM,――I think it a long time since I last wrote
your ladyship. Continual preaching twice a day, and paying and
receiving visits, quite prevented me putting pen to paper as
I would have done. The parting at Glasgow was very sorrowful.
Numbers set out from the country, to hear the word, by three
or four o’clock in the morning. Congregations here increase
greatly. I now preach twice daily to many thousands. Many of
the best rank attend. My body is almost worn out. I have been
to Musselburgh, to see Captain Galatin and his lady. They hold
on. Mr. Wesley has been there, and intends setting up Societies,
which I think imprudent.”
Whitefield left Edinburgh on August 6th, and at Kendal, on his way to
London, wrote to her ladyship again:――
“KENDAL, _August 10, 1751_.
“EVER-HONOURED MADAM,――The longer I stayed at Edinburgh, the
more eagerly both rich and poor attended on the word preached.
For near twenty-eight days, in Glasgow and Edinburgh, I preached
to near ten thousand souls every day. Ninety-four pounds were
collected for the Edinburgh orphans, and I heard of seven or
eight students, awakened about ten years ago, who are likely to
turn out excellent preachers. To the Lord of all lords be all
the glory! I am now on my way to London, in order to embark for
America. I threw up much blood in Edinburgh, but riding recruits
me.”
For the present, Whitefield’s work in England was nearly ended. On
August 29, he went on board the _Antelope_, bound for Georgia with
Germans, and took several destitute children with him. “Parting
seasons,” said he, “have been to me dying seasons. They have broken
my very heart; but it is for Jesus, and, therefore, all is well.”
It was fortunate that he got away. Without this, he probably would have
died. The man was fast becoming a sort of religious suicide. Humanly
speaking, his voyage to America saved, or rather prolonged, his life.
On August 30th, his intimate friend, Robert Cruttenden, in a letter
to the wife of Dr. Doddridge, wrote: “Yesterday I took leave of
Mr. Whitefield, who is embarked for America, with little prospect
of my ever seeing him again. His constitution is quite worn out with
labour.”[303]
_FOURTH VISIT TO AMERICA, AND RETURN TO ENGLAND._
SEPTEMBER 1751 TO MARCH 1754.
WHITEFIELD’S sojourn in America was of short duration. He landed in
October, 1751, and seven months afterwards was again in England. His
time on land seems to have been spent chiefly in Georgia and South
Carolina. Very little, however, is known of his proceedings. There
was urgent need to recruit his health. His business affairs, also,
required attention. Still, he preached, at least, occasionally. With
him, preaching was almost an element of life. His departure from
England was abrupt; and his return was unexpected. All that is known
of his brief visit is contained in half a dozen letters.
On October 6th, when within a few hundred miles of America, he wrote,
almost impatiently:――
“O that I could do something to promote the glory of God! Alas!
alas! how little have I done! My sluggish soul, stir up, and
exert thyself for Jesus!”
In a letter, dated “Bethesda, in Georgia, November 20th, 1751,” he
says:――
“Blessed be God! I found the children at the Orphan House much
improved in learning; and I hope a foundation is now laid for a
useful seminary.”
In another, dated “Charleston, December 26th,” he writes:――
“What mercies, signal mercies, has the Lord Jesus conferred
on you and me! What shall we render unto the Lord? Shall we
not give Him our whole hearts? O let His love constrain us to
a holy, universal, cheerful obedience to all His commands. I am
now returning to the Orphan House, which I trust will be like the
burning bush. My poor labours are accepted here. In the spring,
I purpose going to the Bermudas. Jesus is very good to me. Help
me to praise Him.”
To Mr. Lunell, of Dublin, he wrote:――
“BETHESDA, _January, 25, 1752_.
“VERY DEAR SIR,――Man appoints, but God disappoints. Though we
missed seeing each other on earth, yet, if Jesus Christ be our
life, we shall meet in the kingdom of heaven. Your kind letter
found me employed for the fatherless in this wilderness. I am
now almost ready to enter upon my spring campaign. The news from
Ireland does not at all surprise me. Weak minds soon grow giddy
with power; and then they become pests, instead of helps, to the
Church of God.”
To his friend Hervey, Whitefield addressed the following:――
“CHARLESTON, _February, 1, 1752_.
“The Orphan House is in a flourishing way; and, I hope, will
yet become a useful seminary. My poor labours, in this place,
meet with acceptance. After one more trip to Georgia, I purpose
setting out upon my spring campaign. I wish Lisbon may be
blessed to Dr. Doddridge. O, how I wish that dear Dr. Stonehouse
was fully employed in preaching the everlasting gospel! I hope
you both see our good Lady Huntingdon frequently. I was rejoiced
to hear, from my dear yoke-fellow, that her ladyship was bravely.”
Dr. Doddridge had embarked, for Lisbon, a month after Whitefield
embarked for America. For three months past, he had been in heaven.
Immediately after writing the foregoing letter, Whitefield became
acquainted with the fact. Hence the following:――
“CHARLESTON, _February 5, 1752_.
“Part of your first letter――I mean that respecting the
Tabernacle House――gave me uneasiness; but your last removed
it, and made me thankful to our Redeemer, who, in spite of
all opposition, will cause His word to run and be glorified.
Poor Mr. Wesley is striving against the stream.[304] Strong
assertions will not go for proofs, with those who are sealed by
the Holy Spirit even to the day of redemption. They know that
the covenant of grace is not built upon the faithfulness of a
poor fallible, changeable creature, but upon the never-failing
faithfulness of an unchangeable God. This is the foundation
whereon I build. ‘Lord Jesus, I believe, help my unbelief!
Having once loved me, Thou wilt love me to the end. Thou wilt
keep that safe, which I have committed unto Thee. Establish
Thy people more and more in this glorious truth; and grant that
it may have this blessed effect upon us all, that we may love
Thee more, and serve Thee better!’ All truths, unless productive
of holiness and love, are of no avail. They may float upon the
surface of the understanding; but this is to no purpose, unless
they transform the heart. I trust, the dear Tabernacle preachers
will always have this deeply impressed upon their minds. Let us
not dispute, but love. Truth is great, and will prevail. I am
quite willing that all our hearers shall hear for themselves.
The spirit of Christ is a spirit of liberty. Let us look above
names and parties. Let Jesus, the ever-loving, the ever-lovely
Jesus, be our all in all. So that He be preached, and His Divine
image stamped more and more upon people’s souls, I care not who
is uppermost. I know my place, (Lord Jesus, enable me to keep
it!) even to be the servant of all. I want not to have a people
called after my name, and, therefore, I act as I do. The cause
is Christ’s, and He will take care of it. I rejoice that you go
on so well at the Tabernacle. May the shout of a king be always
in the midst of you! I am apt to believe you will pray me
over. But future things belong to Him, whose I am, and whom
I endeavour to serve. After one more trip to the Orphan House,
I purpose going northward.
“Thanks be to God! all is well at Bethesda. A most excellent
tract of land is granted to me, very near the house, which, in
a few years, I hope, will make a sufficient provision for it.
Dr. Doddridge, I find, is gone. Lord Jesus, prepare me to follow
after!”
Whitefield did not go to “the Bermudas,” nor yet “northward,” as he
intended.[305] About two months after the date of the foregoing letter,
he suddenly set sail for England. Why was this? Nothing has yet been
published to explain it. The following letter, now for the first time
printed, solves the difficulty. It was addressed, “To Mr. Blackwell,
banker, in Lombard Street, London”:――
“PORTSMOUTH, _May 21, 1752_.
“MY DEAR MR. BLACKWELL,――I fully purposed to have written
to you when I was at Charleston, in South Carolina; but my
sudden resolution to embark for England prevented me. God has
vouchsafed to bless me, in respect to the Orphan House, in a
very unexpected manner. To put it upon a proper footing, and
to apply for some privileges, before the time of the Trustees’
Charter be expired, is what has called me home so speedily. Home,
did I say? I trust heaven is my home; and it is my comfort that
it is not far off. Surely this body will not hold out always.
Yet a little while, and our Lord will come, and take us to
Himself, that where He is, there we may be also.
‘There pain and sin and sorrow cease,
And all is calm and joy and peace.’
“I wish you and yours much of this heaven upon earth. Looking
unto Jesus is the only way of drawing it down into our souls.
Out of His fulness, we all receive grace for grace. We have an
open-handed, an open-hearted Redeemer. He giveth liberally, and
upbraideth not. O for power from on high to set forth the riches
of redeeming love! In a few days I hope to attempt a little of
this in London. I beg your prayers. I thank you heartily for
all favours; and, with cordial salutations to your _whole self_,
subscribe myself, dear sir, yours most affectionately in our
common Lord,
“G. WHITEFIELD.”
During his absence, Whitefield’s beloved mother had exchanged mortality
for life; but this was not the reason of his sudden return to England.
The affairs of his Orphan House brought him back――affairs which will
often be introduced to the reader’s notice in succeeding letters.
On reaching London, one of his first efforts was to procure a minister
for a Dissenting church at Charleston. On May 26th, he wrote:――
“People have received me with great affection; and I never saw
the work of God go on in a more promising way. Thousands and
thousands hear the word gladly.
“I wish I could send you good news about your minister; but,
alas! I now almost despair of procuring one. I waited upon
Dr. G―――― immediately after my arrival; but he gave me no hopes.
Several of the large congregations in London, besides many more
in the country, are without pastors; and are obliged to make use
of our preachers. O that the Lord of the harvest may thrust out
more labourers! Who can tell but some ministers may be raised up
at Bethesda?
“At midsummer, the king takes Georgia into his own hands.
Blessed be God! for sending me over at such a juncture. I
am come to a determination, if I can dispose of Providence
plantation, (in South Carolina,) to carry all my strength to
the Orphan House.”
Besides endeavouring to provide a minister for Charleston, Whitefield
was requested to render another service; for which he had no adaptation.
His friend Hervey, who was writing “Theron and Aspasio,” sent him some
of the manuscripts for his revision, at the same time promising him £30
for the purchase of a negro slave! Whitefield replied:――
“_June 9, 1752._
“I have read your manuscripts; but for me to play the critic on
them, would be like holding up a candle to the sun. I think to
call your intended purchase _Weston_, and shall take care to
remind him by whose means he was brought under the everlasting
gospel.”
Having employed about a month in London, Whitefield, in the third
week of June, set out for Portsmouth; and thence to Bath, where he
spent about three weeks with the Countess of Huntingdon, and preached
every evening to great numbers of the nobility. Here also he became
acquainted with Mrs. Grinfield, a lady of high position, who attended
on Queen Caroline. “The Court,” says Whitefield, “rings of her; and,
if she stands, I trust she will make a glorious martyr for her blessed
Lord.”[306]
Four days were employed at Bristol, where he preached nine times. He
writes:――
“Very near as many as attended at Moorfields came out every
evening to hear the word. I have reason to believe much good was
done. Old times seemed to be revived again. The last evening, it
rained a little, but few moved. I was wet, and contracted a cold
and hoarseness; but I trust preaching will cure me. This is my
grand catholicon.”
On July 17, Whitefield went to Wales, where he spent a fortnight,
preached twenty times, and travelled about three hundred miles.
Though Whitefield had resigned his office of moderator of the
Calvinistic Methodists, and though he had often declared his
determination not to form a sect, he still, occasionally, attended
“Associations.” Howell Harris had recently seceded from his old
friends, and, in the month of April of this selfsame year, had laid
the foundation of his unique establishment at Trevecca. The schism had
thrown affairs into great confusion; and, perhaps, this was the reason
why Whitefield attended conferences, of which, strictly speaking, he
was not a member. In a letter, dated “Bristol, August 1, 1752,” he
writes:――
“In my way hither, we held an Association. There were present
about nine clergy, and near forty other labourers. I trust all
of them are born of God, and desirous to promote His glory, and
His people’s good. All was harmony and love.”
On his way back to London, he held another Association, in
Gloucestershire.[307] After so many declarations that he would
not attach himself to any party, Methodist or Moravian, there is
considerable inconsistency in these proceedings, and the only way to
explain the difficulty is to suppose, that, in the largeness of his
heart, he was acting the part of a peacemaker among his old associates,
and endeavouring to put an end to their hurtful strifes.
Benjamin Franklin was now acquiring a European reputation. He had
satisfactorily explained the phenomena of the Leyden jar, and, in
this year of 1752, had established the identity between lightning
and the electric fluid. Up to the present, electricity was a science
which could hardly be said to consist of more than a collection of
unsystematized and ill-understood facts. Franklin’s discoveries led to
remarkable results, and his fame was established. The long-continued
friendship, existing between Whitefield and Franklin, was an odd
incident in the great preacher’s life. In addressing Franklin,
Whitefield never fawned; he was always faithful. Franklin disbelieved
the chief doctrines Whitefield preached; but he respected the good
intentions, the zeal, the benevolence, the honesty of the man. On
his return from Wales, to London, Whitefield wrote to Franklin the
following characteristic letter:――
“LONDON, _August 17, 1752_.
“DEAR MR. FRANKLIN,――I find that you grow more and more famous
in the learned world. As you have made a pretty considerable
progress in the mysteries of electricity, I would now humbly
recommend to your diligent unprejudiced pursuit and study the
mystery of the new birth. It is a most important, interesting
study, and, when mastered, will richly repay you for all your
pains. One, at whose bar we are shortly to appear, hath solemnly
declared, that, without it ‘we cannot enter into the kingdom
of heaven.’ You will excuse this freedom. I must have _aliquid
Christi_ in all my letters.
“I am yet a willing pilgrim for His great name’s sake, and I
trust a blessing attends my poor feeble labours. To the giver
of every good gift be all the glory! My respects await yourself
and all enquiring friends; and hoping to see you once more in
the land of the living, I subscribe myself, dear sir, your very
affectionate friend, and obliged servant,
“GEORGE WHITEFIELD.”